We Are Here!! (Moscow, at any rate!)

We are here!
This is just a really quick posting --
So, after a few drinks on our DC layover and the obligatory “this is us on the plane to come get you” picture on the flight from DC to Moscow....


Yes, the picture is downright frightening –but, give us a break people – We didn’t exactly get a lot of sleep the last week or 2 and we’d already been traveling 10 hours by the time this picture was taken!! LOL



And so.... WE ARE HERE!!

The flight was alternated dozing, doing work on the computer until the battery died, and watching movies.. And, after 10ish hours from DC to Russia, we arrived a few hours ago after a really great & really comfortable flight!! (THANKS Atlas Travel – was it you, Suzanne, who surprised us with our upgrade to economy plus on this leg???) And, as a special bonus, the flight included an incredible night sky with a full moon over the clouds… Just amazing!!

We landed ½ hour early… then….
After they tested everyone on the plane for a fever, they let us all off…
I am not kidding. Just another one for the “bizarre file” we will call this “road to stoli”…
Seriously, a person came around with a laser temperature gauge, and took every
person’s temperature…
Here how our scenario went:

Creative and smart management of who is coming into the country and how they are feeling... I am not making this up and 7 original posters saw the proof.... however, it has been suggested that perhaps that come down.

She: doing other people’s temperatures.

Example here --EDITED***

Me: obnoxiously shutting off flash on camera to take pictures of her taser testing people.
Jeff: Pinching me, hitting me, and telling me to knock it off and not get us into trouble.. LOL.

She: (our lady, upon tasering my neck) “Do you feel OK?”
Entertainingly, mine was over 38*C --- me, who is always freezing cold.

Then, it went something like this:

Me: “Yes, sure”. (shocked she didn’t notice I had just been fishing in my bag for cough drops)…
She: “Are you sure? No cough, no runny nose?”

Me: “Nope, must be the fact that the morning sun is beaming in on me, kinda like the light bulb and thermometer trick of my youth”… (ok, I didn’t really say that, I just said “nope”, but I was thinking it!!)

She: “Ok, then you can go”

Bizarre, but are any of us really surprised by this? And, really, in a way, it's pretty creative efforts to manage a health care situation, so kuddos to them!!

Anatoly (our “favorite” Peace Travel driver) was waiting for us and so we tossed our bags in the car and enjoyed the ride to the hotel.
Moscow really is a beautiful city – and, the good news on the longer than typical wait to return gave all the trees and bulbs time to show off for us –
There are flowers everywhere and everything that, just 4 weeks ago, was still muddy and icy is now green and people are wearing sandals…

Jeff is sleeping and I am about to crash next to him after a run in the gym watching the infamous “Music Videos of Moscow” ---
More at some point!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY EVERYONE ☺
A special THANKS and shout out to our mom's for putting up with both of us all these years!
You soon will get "I told you so" opportunities as we figure out this parenting gig!
Love -- Amy & Jeff